The Storm
by Cosmic Moon Baby
Summary: A rainy day at the academy leaves Yuuki wondering where Zero's gotten off to. Some OOC-ness, a mature happening and a bit of fluff, even. Warning: Lemony goodness ahead...


**Greetings, lovely readers! Here we go with another Zeki oneshot…WOOT! **

**Expect fluff, some OOC-ness…and *cough*mature*cough* happenings. LEMONY GOODNESS!!! Don't say I didn't warn ya'… **

**AND, I do not own the characters from Vampire Knight. Matsuri Hino does. For reals. **

~*~*~*~

The day was miserable, the clouds having lingered since early morning, rain falling sporadically…just enough to leave everything soggy. It was a Saturday and Yuuki had taken full advantage of it, sleeping in until nearly noon. It wasn't something that she was allowed to do often, though her patrolling had caused her to be up long into the early hours of the morning, leaving her in serious need of some quality time with her bed.

She sat up, a frown touching her lips as she took note of the weather. She had hoped the sun would be out so that she could spend the day outside, not cooped up and bored out of her mind. Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she hit the floor, padding to her dresser to dig around for something to wear. She pulled out short black skirt and a white button front cardigan before continuing towards her door.

Making her way down the hallway to the chairman's bathroom, she paused before entering, satisfied that the bathroom was empty. She snagged a towel from the bar inside, hanging it on the doorknob. He'd never get the lock fixed, she griped internally, closing the door behind her.

She showered quickly, then toweling her hair and brushing her teeth. Looking at herself in the mirror, she noticed how pale she was, her cheeks hollow. She hadn't gotten much sleep lately…not since she'd discovered Zero's dark secret.

Since then, she'd been reluctant to leave him alone, for fear that something would happen…that he would do something irrational. Funny, she mused, how they'd always watched over one another. Now, it seemed, it was her turn once again.

He was no longer an angry, frightened boy. He'd grown into a troubled, unforgiving young man, one that she was tied to by so many unseen threads. As moody as he seemed, Yuuki understood the reasons behind his actions. There was so much that he was ashamed of, so much he tried to hide away from the world. But she could see through every meticulously constructed wall he erected. She knew him better than anyone and she had made a vow, both to him and to herself, that she would protect him, no matter the cost.

Struggling with her own thoughts, she turned, staring out the window and watching the rain fall. Sighing mightily, she opened the door, putting the towel back on the rack in the bathroom before starting down the hallway, her steps sluggish as she began her search for signs of life.

~*~*~*~

Pausing at the doorway, Yuuki watched her adopted father for a moment as he sat at the table in the corner of the living room, hunched over the makings of a puzzle. She'd never understood how he could find pleasure in it. The very thought nearly bored her to tears, but he seemed to enjoy it greatly. It was great stress relief, or so he said.

He turned suddenly, a smile immediately spreading across his face. His little girl always had that effect on him.

"Ah, good morning! Or should I say "afternoon"?" he mused, watching as she came over to the table.

His little Yuuki had grown up so, right before his very eyes. She'd become everything he'd wished her to be, making him proud on a daily basis. He'd handed a lot of responsibility to her and she'd handled it well. He knew, however, that she was able to do so with the help of his other charge. She and Zero were a team, though he'd noticed a change between them as of late. Things had never exactly been carefree, both of them having been through so much at such an early age. They'd always managed to find solace within one another, and now, they had grown up, and the idea both delighted and scared him witless.

"Yeah, I was being lazy today. Anything exciting going on?" she asked, absently wondering where her partner had gotten off to.

"No, this accursed weather has seen to it that everyone's stuck indoors today…well, except Kiryu, of course. He left earlier this morning and I haven't seen him since," he noted, seeing her curiosity roaring to life.

"I wonder what he's doing? It's really gross outside," she muttered, more to herself than to the chairman.

A sly smile touched his lips, his chin coming to rest on his hand. His adopted child was so transparent.

"Why don't you find out?" he asked.

"I'm sure he'd like the company."

She laughed outright, shaking her head.

"Zero? He'll probably just have a wicked mood swing and tell me to go away like usual," she griped, wishing that he wasn't so bloody grumpy.

"You may be surprised. There's an umbrella in the closet," the chairman told her, watching as she turned to go.

"I'll be ok. It's not raining very hard," she said, setting on her search for her missing companion and leaving the chairman to pass the time alone.

~*~*~*~

Unfortunately for her, the rain had become more of a downpour and she cursed herself as she ran, soaking wet by the time she found shelter under a large maple tree. She stood there, her shoulder length hair dripping wet, her eyes sweeping over the academy grounds for any sign of him.

She scanned her surroundings, noticing that no one else was foolish enough to be out in the pouring rain as she was. A sudden crash of thunder caused her to jump, lighting flashing soon afterward. The wind whipped through the trees, sending leaves swirling to the ground around her. The storm was growing, the sky positively black and casting gloom over the expanse of buildings around her.

Suddenly, her eyes landed upon the stables, far across the grounds on the hill. Of course he'd be there. Sighing mightily, Yuuki took off across the grounds, the lightning flashing around her as she ran towards the lone structure on the hill. Jumping the fence surrounding the stables, she made one last dash, darting inside just as another enormous thunder clap sounded.

Breathing hard, she walked forward, passing by several stalls, some occupied and some empty. Coming towards the far end, she saw White Lily, her head hanging over short stall door. The temperamental beast tossed her head at Yuuki's approach, her hoof stamping at the ground. Funny, she thought, how this animal and Zero were so alike in personality.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she stopped, gazing down into the empty stall next to Lily's. There, lounging on the sweet smelling hay, was her silver haired cohort, his lavender eyes meeting hers full force. As she'd expected, he seemed irritated by her appearance.

"What are you _doing_ out here?" she asked, falling to her knees next to him. Clad in jeans with ripped knees and a black t shirt, Zero sat up, his eyes never leaving hers. So much swam within their depths, making it almost painful to gaze into them.

"I might ask the same of you," he said flatly, his annoyance immediately evident.

"Do you always have to act like this? Can't you for once just act happy to see me?" she wondered. He could see the angry tears pooling in her cinnamon colored eyes, and he cursed himself for being so curt with her. No matter how he tried, he always acted this way towards her, never allowing her to see behind his mask of ice.

"Shouldn't you be inside? This storm's getting pretty rough, though it seems you've been out in it for a while," he noticed, his fingers twirling a lock of her wet hair between them.

As a testament to his words, thunder sounded, rocking the stable and sending Yuuki hurdling into him. Blind instinct took him over, his arm coming up to hold her small form against him. Lightning flashed, bathing the stable in a purple glow. He couldn't help but smile down at her, this girl that forever attempted to keep her bold front intact. Even Yuuki, he knew, had her weaknesses.

Her eyes caught his and she seemed embarrassed by her actions, as slight flush staining her porcelain cheeks. She kept her position, and he could tell that she was struggling for the words that seemed quite intent on evading her.

"Something troubling you?" he asked, his arm dropping back to his side as he watched her.

She was soaked through, her top clinging to her small form. Her blush deepened at the feeling of his eyes upon her. Of course she'd had to wear something white today. Her cardigan was thin and she'd neglected to wear a bra. It wasn't as though she was overwhelmingly endowed, anyway. Still, the fact that she'd not worn the undergarment was quite evident, causing her to immediately cross her arms over her chest, her blush growing impossibly deeper.

Yuuki averted her eyes, unable to look at him, the mortification threatening to overwhelm her. She had to get out of there, whether there was a thunderstorm raging outside or not.

She rose to her feet, but before she could take a step, his fingers had encircled her wrist, halting her progress. She looked down at him, almost frightened by the darkness of his lavender eyes. She'd never seen them like this before, in all the years she'd known him. Something foreign yet undeniably familiar was swirling in their depths, leaving her a bit shaken as she continued to stare at him.

Before she knew what was happening, she was pulled down onto the hay, her knees landing between his legs. His arms were swift to pull her against him, and the next thing she knew, his lips were pressed against hers, her eyes wide and palms against his chest to steady herself.

After a moment, her eyes slit shut, her mind losing control and her body taking over entirely. What was happening? He'd never _ever_ attempted something like this before. Sure, he touched her, usually to pull her away from the members of the Night Class or to push her behind him when trouble arose, but never…

Her heart nearly stopped as she felt his tongue touch her bottom lip, seeming to beg for entrance. Moving on blind instinct, Yuuki allowed his tongue to part her lips, and she soon felt it trailing along her teeth, then beginning to tease her tongue.

The sensation was totally new to her, though not an objectionable one. Yuuki found herself leaning into his kiss, her hands trailing up his chest, over his shoulders and coming to rest upon his back as she laced her arms around his neck. His own arm remained like iron about her waist, his free hand anchoring in her hair, angling her head to gain better access to her mouth.

Her knees had begun to ache from the rough hay pressing into them from below, but she cared not at the moment, being totally lost in his kiss as she was. A fire was burning within her, rising steadily as their kiss became more heated, her want becoming obvious as she met him with a fierceness that equaled his own.

Zero was surprised that she hadn't already pushed him away and run, but she seemed quite intent on continuing what he'd begun. He was sure he was bruising her lips, his intensity even amazing him. But she didn't seem to mind in the least. In fact, she seemed to be rather enjoying herself, a fact that only urged him on.

Soon, their lips parted, their foreheads touching as each gasped for the breaths they had been denied. He felt that she was shaking, a realization that disturbed him a bit. He'd had no intention of scaring her, but it seemed perhaps he'd done just that.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, his voice husky and breaths labored as he spoke.

Neither moved, arms still laced around the other tightly. His hot breath beat against her lips, which still tingled from his heated kiss. With a start she realized that this had been her first kiss, and she was a bit shocked as to who she had shared it with. Sure, they'd been together since they were children. They'd been at each other's side since the night her adopted father had brought Zero home after his family had been murdered. Yuuki had just never seen this coming…not from him. He was always so stoic, an angry, brooding youth that was determined not to allow anyone to break through the barriers he'd constructed around himself.

But she knew that she had managed to do what no one else could. She'd gotten through somehow, and this new side of him was an enchanting thing to her. She mulled over his apology, her heart aching in her chest upon hearing it.

"Why?" she asked, still unmoving, afraid he'd go back to his usual cold self if she did.

"I don't…I don't know what came over me," he said, attempting to pull back from her to give her space.

"No. I mean why are you sorry?" she asked, refusing to budge.

Her words surprised him, taking him a bit off guard. His hunger was growing by leaps and bounds and he knew that if this didn't stop, he would do something they would both regret. The last thing he wished was to bring her any harm. He'd already done that so many times, taking her blood, using her like she was prey.

Though she always gave of herself willingly, he hated himself for what he continued to do to her, this girl that he had loved since they were children.

"Zero? Do you need blood?" she asked, her question surprising him. How exactly was he to tell her that it wasn't only her blood that he longed for this night?

His response was swift, though no words came. His lips were on hers once again, his arms gathering her up until she sat straddling his lap, her arms clinging to him as if he would fade away. In truth, that was her worst fear these days, that she would lose him to his affliction. She realized that without her blood, he could drop to Level E, and she would not, could not allow that to happen. Zero had been her best friend and confidant for four years, but now she found herself feeling something more for him, something that even frightened her a bit.

Her thoughts ceased as she felt his hands move to the front of her cardigan, his nimble fingers beginning to unbutton it. It was happening so fast, but Yuuki was so lost in the moment that she couldn't think of anything else.

His lips were devastating, his need and want obvious from the way he kissed her, his hands parting her cardigan, leaving her bare skin exposed. His lips broke from hers, his head bowing to the naked flesh of her chest, his tongue laving at one humble mound of flesh. She gasped into his silvery hair as his mouth closed around her breast, her arms still clinging desperately to him.

After a moment of blissful torture, he moved to the other, his actions leaving her head swimming. Desire nearly blinded her as she looked down, the sight of him tasting her giving her chills.

He could hear her voice, the soft gasps she emitted as his tongue made its way along her skin. Zero realized that he was completely losing control of himself, though he was unsure what could be done about it. He'd already gone much further than he'd intended, but she'd not pushed him away. Instead, she sat there clinging to him, her fingers anchored in his hair to hold him to her as he continued to taste her untouched skin.

Yuuki's mind was clouded over, all rational thought having abandoned her entirely. The questions nagged at the back of her mind, though she couldn't force herself to acknowledge them at the time. What if they were caught? What would become of them then?

She let out an audible gasp as she found her back pressed against the stable wall, one of his arms supporting her slight weight as the other moved frantically under her skirt, his hand cupping the warmth between her thighs. She moaned her approval, his fingers ripping at the fabric he found in his way. When his fingers touched her, her head tilted back, her eyes closing as her legs laced themselves about his waist, his body pressing her hard into the wall.

He claimed her lips once more, his fingers caressing her with intent, his desire growing to an almost painful level. All reason had been lost. Only instinct remained now, and that was what drove him on as he slid first one finger into her, then another. Her voice died in his mouth, her hips bucking as he continued his ungodly invasion.

His lips broke from hers, then trailing along her neck, his fangs raking along her delicate skin. A sharp pain struck her, causing her to wince, though she continued to move with him, a pleasure unlike any she'd ever known threatening to be her end.

He drank from her, a pleasure he loathed himself for taking part in. He took her blood greedily, sucking hard on her neck and leaving it bruised in his wake.

He pulled back, her blood touching the corners of his lips, his tongue darting out to lick the last remains of it away.

The pain behind, Yuuki heard her own voice crying out, heard her own voice echoing his name like a mantra as she lost herself to his touch, her body in spasms as her nails dug into the muscles of his back. He drew his hand away, gripping her thigh. She could feel the evidence of his arousal pressing into her other thigh, her eyes dipping to take in the bulge in his jeans. She knew how close they were to something forbidden, though, they'd already crossed so many unseen lines. But gods, how she wanted it, like nothing else she'd ever known. His body was hot as it pressed into her, his mouth covering hers once more. She tasted her own blood on his tongue, bitter and metallic. She wondered how it tasted to him, if he too found it to be bitter.

Pulling back, she looked into his eyes, which were slowly returning from crimson to their usual shade of lavender.

"What do I taste like to you?" she wondered, seeing his chest heaving as he looked back at her, his eyes clouded with want.

"Like heaven," he answered, "though I'm damned to hell for what I do."

Her hand cupped his cheek, her thumb stroking along his pale skin.

"You want more, don't you?" she asked, her legs tightening around him.

"We can't," he said, knowing that he'd gone far enough for one day.

"Why not?" she asked, surprising him yet again.

"Do I have to state the obvious?" he wondered, though she met his statement with her own immediately.

"If you're talking about _that_, I've…I've been on the pill since last year," she said, embarrassment evident in her voice.

He looked shocked, the expression on his face almost amusing.

"What?" she asked, a small smile gracing her lips.

"I just never thought…"

"You never thought you'd be here doing this either, did you?" she retorted, her hands tugging at the button of his jeans. He allowed her to continue, hearing his zipper sliding down. He moaned as her hands found him, running along his hardened length. His finger tilted her chin up, his eyes meeting hers once more.

"I've wanted you…for a very long time, Yuuki," he told her, realizing how very close he was to claiming her as his own at last.

She gazed into his eyes, a smile touching her lips.

"I know. I could see it in your eyes," she said.

"Can you see it in mine?"

He kissed her then, almost ferociously, and she felt his manhood pressing against her thigh, the reality of her situation hitting her. She thought of Kaname, of what he would think should he discover their sin. He already had a short fuse when it came to Zero. After he'd found out he'd taken her blood, he'd been furious. This, she knew, would drive him to madness. But at the moment, she couldn't force herself to care what the Pureblood would think. This wasn't about him. This was only about Zero and herself.

Zero had been with her, always by her side as they kept the peace at the academy, always there when she needed him. Though Kaname had saved her ten years ago, and though she was grateful for it, she realized that her heart belonged to the silver haired vampire that was intent on ravaging her lips at that very moment.

"Yuuki…are you sure about this?" he asked as he broke away, his chest heaving as he awaited her answer.

Her eyes spoke volumes, hazy with lust and want. She leaned forward, her lips brushing against his as she spoke.

"What do I mean to you, Zero?" she whispered, her desire for him taking her over.

"Without you, I wouldn't be here. I'd have given up long ago. Yuuki, you mean the world to me. I've loved you since I first came to know you," he told her, her eyes softening at his answer.

"I can only hope that you feel the same," he said, his affliction beginning to pain him as he awaited her answer.

"I love you," she whispered against his lips, her fingers anchored in his silvery hair.

"I've always loved you, since the Chairman brought you home four years ago. You've always made my heart bleed, and now you make it stop, every time you look at me," she told him, his lips covering hers just before he pushed into her, her cry muffled by his lips.

Yuuki's mind went blank, her body feeling as though it were being torn apart. Soon, though, the pain melted away, being overtaken by bliss unlike any she'd ever known. Her legs tightened around him, her hips moving to meet his strokes, his hands gripping them tightly. She heard the sounds he made, his pleasure evident by his deep growls. They were almost feral in nature, his lips punishing as he thrust inside her, her back arching as she felt herself losing all control. Sensing that she was nearing her end, he slowed his pace, drawing out her pleasure. He felt her fingernails digging into his back as he moved inside her, feeling the fire building within him.

Her lips broke from his, her voice echoing through the stable. He heard his name, a beautiful sound as it left her lips. His teeth ground together as he felt the end nearing, and with one final thrust he lost himself, his essence spilling inside her. Yuuki cried out as the climax took her as well, her body shuddering before become still in his grip.

He stood there leaning into her, his forehead coming to rest upon her shoulder as he attempted to regain his breath. Likewise, Yuuki struggled to breathe, her heart racing and body engulfed by a blissful ache.

Slowly, her legs unlaced themselves from around him and he pulled back, sitting her back on her feet. She was appreciative of the wall behind her, for without it, she was sure she'd have fallen to the ground. She stood there, her head leaning back against the wall as she heard him zipping his jeans.

Thunder rumbled once again, snapping Yuuki out of her momentary stupor. Her eyes opened as she felt him take her face in his hands. His lavender eyes were piercing into her very soul, causing her heart to flutter in her chest.

Zero was unnerved to see tears beginning to flow down her cheeks, his thumbs brushing them away with care. He'd known better than to go through with this. Despite her words, she hadn't truly been prepared for what would occur.

"Yuuki," he said, her tears still flowing quietly.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked, pulling her into his chest and tucking her under his chin.

She wanted to tell him why her tears fell, but she dared not ruin the moment they'd shared. She wanted to tell him that her tears were for him, for the future that could await him. She was terrified of losing him, afraid that he would disappear and leave her alone with only the memory of him to placate her.

"No. I'm fine, Zero. I…I just…please don't leave me," she cried, her arms wrapping around him, her face burying into his chest.

His heart pained him, seeing her in such a state. How could he promise something when he himself didn't know it to be true? He wanted to tell her that he would always be there, that he would never leave her side. But how could he possibly know what his future would hold? Even drinking her blood could prove to be inadequate, causing him to drop to Level E. His thoughts were bringing him great pain, and he made his decision then. Until he drew his last breath, he would remain with her, watching over her as he always had.

"I'm not going anywhere, Yuuki. You know I'm too willful for that," he told her, kissing the top of her head.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the stable once again. Night had fallen, leaving the stable dark in between flashes of purple.

Yuuki sank to the hay below, pulling him down with her. He stretched out, his head resting on a pile of hay. His arms opened and she gladly accepted his embrace, snuggling in against him. Her fingers moved to button a single button of her cardigan, leaving enough bared skin to cause his blood to continue to run hot in his veins.

For a time, they lay there, listening to the rain pelting against the roof of the stable, lightning flashing now and then, the thunder still rumbling.

Yuuki felt his heart beating beneath her cheek, thumping out a steady rhythm. Her hand strayed to the tattoo on his neck, her fingers trailing over it lightly. He took her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm.

"I'm sorry… for what I've done to you," he said suddenly, causing her to sigh mightily.

"You've never done anything to me that I didn't want you to, Zero. So stop apologizing," she told him, pressing herself closer in against him.

"The Chairman's going to wonder where we are," she pointed out, delighted to see a smile grace his lips.

"Let's make him wonder a bit longer," he told her, not wanting their time together to end.

The pair lay, riding out the storm under the shelter of the stable. The storm rolled on throughout the night, though neither was aware of it, lost in the embrace of the other.

As he lay there, Zero no longer felt such hatred for himself, for this girl…the girl that he loved, had put total faith in him. That in itself was enough to chase his guilt from his mind. She trusted him, had given all of herself to him without reserve. He'd never imagined to find himself in such a position, Yuuki sleeping under his arm as he watched her. Her essence seemed to envelope him, and at that moment he felt bound to her in so many ways.

He realized that now, he would be even more protective of her, the keeper of his heart and liberator of his very soul. He would do anything in his power to protect her, to keep her gentle nature intact. He would never allow that to be corrupted by the likes of Kuran. His life had always been hers, and it was even truer now that they'd shared everything with one another. He would be with her, would stay by her side, until madness took him over, and if it did, she knew in her heart what she would have to do.

~*~*~*~

**Done and done! This bit o' Zeki action brought to you by BOREDOM! Hope you got at least a little enjoyment out of reading it. Reviews are always nice. :) **

***Cosmic Moon Baby* **


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